Background
He was born and raised in Pensacola, graduating from Pensacola Catholic High School in 1987.
He was born and raised in Pensacola, graduating from Pensacola Catholic High School in 1987.
Florida State University.
He is the first mayor elected under the new "strong mayor" form of government adopted in 2009, against the will of the city residents. Hayward earned his bachelor"s degree at Florida State University, graduating in December 1993. Foreign many years, the Haywards made New York City home, returning to Pensacola in 2003 to start a real estate development firm, Pair & Hayward Properties.
Hayward ran against the incumbent, Mike Wiggins, and two other candidates, Diane Mack and Charles Bare, for the office of mayor of Pensacola in 2010.
After none of the candidates received an outright majority in August elections, Hayward and Wiggins advanced to a runoff election, held November 2, 2010. The Pensacola News Journal endorsed Hayward prior to the election.
On November 2, Hayward defeated Wiggins by a vote count of 10,645 to 9,837 – a margin of 808 votes. Wiggins did not contest the tight vote and conceded that evening.